On Christmas, Truth, Etc.

According to the movie "Love Actually," Christmas is a time of truth and the telling of the truth. When I first heard this I though, 'oh this means that people will go around telling truths instead of lies," but after thinking about it, I realize that it means something different. I think what it is trying to say is that Christmas should be a time when you are true to yourself and by being true to yourself, you can in turn be true to the ones that you love. As I continued to ponder this idea, I realized that I am not being true to myself. I need to change somethings about me and let go of some recent events that are not so pleasant. I need to think about what is important to me in life and not change for people to see the image they want to see. So, in light of this Christmas season, do not only shop for presents for people and eat too many cookies and drink too much eggnog, be true to yourself and follow your heart in everything that you do.

Ohio

A year ago today I left Barnesville, Ohio. After five years at a really wonderful music camp that changed my life forever, I was stepping into the unknown life away from camp. I'm not saying this year hasn't been amazing, it's just been a year of change and new. It started changing the Monday after I returned. Either my friends here had changed or I had. Sadly it wasn't for the better. They did different things and "there wasn't enough room in the car" for me. It was difficult to get back into the community of school and my group of friends and I can't say that this summer has helped much either. A few weeks before school started things got a little bit better. Swim season started, I re-connected with friends, and people started wanting to hang out more. Once I got into the swing of senior year things improved a little more. I started hanging out with some of the same people and some "new" faces. Still a friend from seventh grade didn't know how to be with me. She had moved on. I hate remembering that part of this year. Then I realized that it shouldn't matter. Our plans to be best friends wasn't working out. I started realizing things were more fun without her sometimes and that I could make other friends.
All the while it was SO difficult to forget the summer; my last at FMC. It was different not applying to music camp in January, instead I was killing myself with auditions for school and dealing with college stuff. It was even more heartbreaking when I didn't get accepted to my dream school, Ithaca. I haven't told anyone about that audition, and I don't even care to. It was terrible. I don't think that I have EVER seen such pomp ass people in my life. So the year carried on.
Soon it started getting warm and the month of May happened and prom, NYSSMA, and senior trip zoomed by. June brought marching band, graduation, and work. July was ALL WORK, but all the while Ohio and FMC were in the back of my brain. Everyday I would go over what the FMCers where up to and remember times when I was there. August finally got here. It's ending now, and I know that soon there will be photos from the great summer everyone in Ohio has had. Don't get me wrong, I've LOVED my work and had a good summer, it's just been different.
Saturday I will travel to Ohio. I won't be going to good, old Barnesville, but the fact that I am going to be within driving distance is really tough. It kills me that I'll be so close and I won't even get to make a pen mark towards that wonderful place. Parts of me wish that I had gone this summer, but there will always be that understanding that I am growing up and I needed to get away. Life does go on and I will be in college soon. This isn't to say that I won't do everything in my power to become a counselor next year, because I plan to. I have loved this summer where I am now, but it's time to go back. Back where music is cherished and the summer is hot, back to the girls dorm lounge for collection; morning and evening. Away from reality and stress of life. It's time.

Week One at Camp Fiver

So, it's been a while since I last posted, but I did find a really nice summer job and a summer camp called Camp Fiver. It is a 2 week long camp (in four sessions) for kids from New York City. I found out in late May that they were looking to hire life guards for the summer and I was the last one hired. So my team (consisting of 11 guards) had training on Thursday June 24th. I learned that day that I would enjoy my summer much more than I thought I would. Everyone I met was friendly and we had a great time re-certifying and learning the ropes of the camp. The camp has both a lake in and a pool.
So this week I got to work Monday (6/28.) I started my guarding the morning free swim. This was pretty easy. Then on to some swim lessons. This first group was relatively well behaved, but the second group was rather disrespectful. In the afternoon, we had some thunder and had to close the pool down for the last hour. The rest of the week was pretty much the same. I started learning the kids names and getting used to my responsibilities. All in all it was a great week. Not only did I teach the kids some new tricks in the water, but I learned many myself.
The most difficult part of this week was Friday afternoon. After swimming across the lake, and when I say this, I mean pond, I assisted with tip over day at the lake. The kids barely knew how to paddle a canoe and were expected to be able to tip the canoe so they could go on a 14-mile canoe trip by the Monday after. This was incredibly difficult and I ended up having to get in the freezing lake water several times. The first time was to help a group of three girls flip the canoe back over. They were extremely disrespectful and I ended up in the lake, sans life jacket or guard buoy, and lifting a canoe filled with water in water that was well over my head. Not smart. This left me exhausted and while getting back in the guard boat, I received like 7 bruises. The second time I got in the water, I ended up having to console some girls who were afraid of the water and tipping. Why they are sending these kids on a trip, I don't know, but it was a rough afternoon at the lake.
Well there is the run down of my first week! Everyday, every way.

How I learned that she doesn't matter

There is this girl that I go to school with and she greatly dislikes me, if not hates me. How do I know this? She is openly mean to me. I try my very best to be kind to her and not let her get to me, but it is really difficult when she is so hurtful. Yesterday I cracked. I realized that letting her be controlling and mean to me was not what someone like me, a leader, should allow to happen. After her telling me what to do, I blatantly said "YOU AREN'T GOING TO BOSS ME AROUND. LEAVE ME ALONE." I didn't think that she would, but it worked. I know that there was another way to deal with this, but I really needed to stand up for myself and now I feel so much better. Hours after this happened I talked about how I stood up for my self to one of my friends and she told me that I was right, this girl did hate me. At first this made me a little mad, but then I realized something...
Dr. Seuss ones said "Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those that matter don't mind." After thinking about what this meant I realized that this girl didn't like who I was. And obviously there is no way that I can change that. So therefore, she doesn't matter to me. Seeing as I am leaving for college in 3 months and I will never have to see this girl again, I seriously don't give a shit what she thinks of me.
I feel like this is an epic break through for me. After attending a leadership conference last year I didn't think I was a leader. This tells me that I totally am. It shows that I can speak up for myself and then realize that I am who I am, and I will always be that person and nothing anyone can say or do will change that.

May...

May was a fantastic month for me. The first weekend was my drama club show and of course it was fantastic. We didn't draw such a big crowd, but it was still good. The weekend of the 8th was my choir concert and that was also amazing.
The real fun happened the weekend after that. Sen10rs hit Boston! Yay for the time of my life with my favorite class mates. We shopped in Provicetown, played on the sand dunes, enjoyed the sunshine, and partied it up. A wonderful time was had by all.
Then came prom 2.0, which was a much better time than last year. We toasted to life with pepsi and mtn. dew in a strech limo, danced our hearts out, and then crashed on a living room floor. It was as kick ass as it gets. People looked at us like we were famous. We even visited our favorite teacher's house. I couldn't have asked for anything more.
Prom followed in to SE's Spirit Week activites. Naturally the best class took first in many of the events. That class was the juniors, yeah. the juniors. Although the juniors were obviously dominat some how the Sen10rs won... It was a good time and a really nice week.
This past weekend I secured a job for the summer, marched in a parade, and wrote an essay. This was obviously less exciting, but then I realized that it is June 1st. And it's getting closer to school ending, graduation, and summer vacation! Life is going to cary on. Things are changing and life is improving everyday.

SU!!!

(AND NOT SYRACUSE!!!)

I've finally decided where I'm going to college! I will be part of the Susquehanna University class of 2014! For those of you who don't know, SU is a small school with a big community and lovely people. Every time that I have visited I have been treated so nicely and everyone is so friendly. So just a quick update on this!!!

The College Choice...

So, I've narrowed it down to two choices: Susquehanna University and SUNY Potsdam. I visited Potsdam this weekend and at first glance it wasn't what I was looking for. The campus was ugly and there seamed to be a ton of smokers. Two extreme turn-offs for me. After driving around campus me and my mom went out for lunch in town at a place on the main drag called The Bagelry. It was pretty good and very inexpensive. During lunch my mom convinced me to take the tour of campus and go through with the interview. So after spending some time in town we went to the admissions office to wait for the tour. Soon a blond girl who I want to say was a junior came up to us and introduced herself as Sarah. The tour was excellent, I rated it 10/10! During the tour I noticed that there were SEVERAL (this is an understatement) places to eat with over-the-top amounts of choices in every single one. This was alright but I happen to be deathly afraid of the "freshman 15," but it's all about control. After the tour and an interview, we headed to the bookstore where I found a great present for my friend and some t-shirts for my family. So, overall I did find some interesting things about Potsdam, but I think I liked Susquehanna just a little bit more, so I am really leaning towards that one. I liked it, but it didn't offer as much.

Drivers Test #1

FAILURE. Just putting that one out there. This is a message to all driving hopefuls. Enjoy.
1. Even if you parallel park and 3-point-turn perfectly, driving 20mph can still cause you to fail your test.
2. Don't ask questions, figure it out yourself. Note: if you can't, then you shouldn't be taking your road test.
3. Don't think the person doesn't care about you, EXPECT that they don't.
4. They don't care.
5. Everything will be your fault in the end.
6. Don't expect them to actually hear you when you say anything. Again, they don't care.

So, you fail your first drivers test. Just remember:
-It isn't the end of the world.
-You can take it again.
-Almost everyone fails at something...

MORAL OF THE STORY: NEVER EVER EVER BE AFRAID OF FAILURE. IT HAPPENS. GET OVER IT.

Just an update...

Well! Winter is back. It was FREEZING tonight, but you all probably were not out taking pictures with out gloves... Above are some of my products!

The first one is just a wooden fence post in the middle of a field. I like this one mostly because it shows lines and contrast. I think if I were to print it I might fix the coloration a little bit, but personally I find it attractive. The second is just a normal sunset. I like this one because of the dark trees. It is a little dark, but again it can be lightened. Enjoy!!! Comments and critizem are welcome!

Photos Copyright of Marni Horton Photograpy

The Story of the Scar on My Knee

Since July 2007 I have had a rather nasty looking scar on my knee. It is oval shaped and turns purple when I'm cold. It also itchs constantly. Whenever I wear shorts or skirts and dress that show my knee people ask where I got it. To tell people the truth I always start out with "chasing boys." This always peaks some curiosity.
The real truth is that I was at Friends Music Camp in Ohio and I fell during serenade. Serenade is a lovely activity where the female campers sing songs to the male campers and vice versa. The girl's serenade this year happened to involve an elaborate plane of two girls out side taunting the boys out and the rest of them inside, waiting for the cue to run out. So on the night of serenade we had our songs learned and the guitars were tuned. We also were dressed as "super sexy ninja babes." As a group we walked silently (as not to wake the boys) across Olney campus towards the boys dorm. When we got there the boys dorm counselor let us all in and we hid in the public bathrooms down stairs. Then the two girls started to sing their song. After we all ran out (this is where the story gets interesting...)
As we were running out I ended up tripping out the door because I didn't realize that there was a concrete slab that was about 4-6 inches off the ground after the door way. When I look back on this moment in my life I realize that I don't remember falling at all. So I landed on the ground with an earth shattering thud and just lay there. I do remember thinking "oh my this ground is really comfortable and cool, I'll just lay here for a while." After I was laying there the boys dorm counselor and the camp nurse came over to see if I was OK. I also remember asking them what had happened. When I was put together enough to realize, I looked down at my knee and it wasn't as bad as it could have been and the cut didn't seam that bad. I thought that I would get away without a scar. Boy was I wrong.
So I ended up getting up and joining in the singing and the goodnight hugs afterwords. Then I went over to the infirmary with the nurse to take a look at my knee. When we got there we went in the bathroom and had to cut my leggings off my knee (they were cheap and ripped like crazy anyway.) After that the nurse dressed the wound on my knee and gave me some pain medicine to ease the throbbing pain I had in my knee. Then we walked back to the girls dorm and I tried to go to bed. My room mates were just getting ready to sleep when I got there. I got into bed and then just started crying. I think it was mostly that my mother had never ever given me the sympathy that the nurse had and that I missed home. My room mates went to get the nurse and she told me it would be alright and gave me some wather. Then I fell asleep.
The next day I woke up and removed the bandage from my knee and it was awful! It had not started to scar yet because it was moist under the bandage and it had a white film over the top of it. Naturally, I was worried. I showered and got dressed and went to see the nurse and she redressed the wound. For the days following, we could not figure out how to keep the wound covered because it was too big for just a bandage. I also ended up having a HUGE bruise on my left hip. A few days after the incident, the band director was like "oh my goodness Marni! We thought you died because you weren't moving!!" This made me think about what actually happened. I think I blacked out as I was falling and the came back when I hit the ground.
So this is where the large circular scar on my knee came from. Just a story to pass the time! Moral: Don't be a sexy ninja that chases boys around with guitars in the dead of night...

Find A Penny, Pick It Up...

...All day long you'll have good luck? Well for me, not so much. I was so excited yesterday morning when I was going down the stairs and saw a penny, faced heads up. As a person of 17 years and 5 months, I have never found a penny heads up. So naturally I had to trip the person I was walking with to pick that penny up. I was so excited for my day of good luck. Boy, was I wrong.
After picking the penny up I froze my but off walking to the elementary school for my mentoring program and almost got hit by a UPS truck. (To all those who have heard this story, I totally forgot this instance of bad luck until now.) As I do every Wednesday, I went skiing with my HS ski club. As I went to pull out my ski pants from my bag and found that my little brother had dumped curry powder in my ski bag. It did smell delicious, but it also stained my shirt. I have been skiing for a really long time and usually I do not fall very much. Last night I had my ego crushed by going over a small jump that I can usually handle. On top of this my ski pole ended up hitting my cheek bone. Luckily, no bruise. As I was changing after skiing, I pulled my under armor over my head and yanked out both my hoop earrings, ouch. No blood involved, but it was still bad luck. This morning I went in my back pack to get my stuff out and TWO of my pens had exploded. There wasn't any mess, but I was down two pens. On top of that, I forgot my calculator for my calculus class and suffered with out it.
Well here is my account of NOT having good luck when finding a penny. As I was thinking about my 24 hours of "good luck" I decided that it isn't up to a penny or a good luck charm or a four leaf clover to make a persons luck good. It is up to the person to make their own luck.

Kids these days...

So yesterday, like every other Sunday this winter, I went to musical practice for our schools production of The Sound of Music. I am a nun and a guest in the ball scene, therefore I get to waltz for about 30 seconds then leave stage and then watch the children as they say goodnight. Since there are almost no boys in the musical me and my good friend Joelle are unoffically a couple in this scene untill we find some lovely young men (not easy). We are such good friends that there isn't a problem with it and naturally we joke around more than we pay attention. Anyway, yesterday we were walking off stage and one of the little girls who plays a Von Trapp child gives us this look like we were crazy and naturally we were being our usualy joking selves.

This week at our school was regents week and as a senior, I didn't have any regents (!!) and didn't have to go to school, but since Wednesday was a ski club day, I went in arround 2pm. At SE, the middle school is conected to the high school and we share the auditorium, cafe., and band/chorus rooms. As we do every Wednesday me and a bunch of my friends were sitting in the cafe. waiting for the bus for ski club. It was really just a bunch of us talking and someone brought out some nail polish. After a little while a middle school girl passed (their school day was still going on at this point) and asked if this is what high school was like. We sorta just looked at her and were like "what?" and she replied "do you guys just skip class and sit arround and paint your nails?" She didn't understand that we didn't have classes, so we were kind and explained to her about regents week. After she had left we all agreed that we should have told her that it was what we did everyday.

So after these to instances I started thinking about how much todays junior high and elementary kids have changed since I was their age. The world is an ever changing place and it is really interesting to see what the kids these days think of things. It would be lovely to think that in high school you just sit arround and laugh with your friends during free time, but soon they'll learn that it isn't like that.